1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for degrading polychlorinated biphenyls, and more specifically to a method for degrading polychlorinated biphenyls using thermophilic bacteria and to a novel microorganism possessing the ability to degrade polychlorinated biphenyls.
This application is based on Patent Application No. Hei 9-166373 filed in Japan, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
Biological degradation of polychlorinated biphenyls (hereinafter abbreviated to PCBs) utilizing bacteria which possess the ability to breakdown PCBs into simple non-toxic compounds is a conventional method for decomposing PCBs.
Research has been advanced for the practicalization of PCB degradation methods using microorganisms, because they enable PCBs to be processed to low concentrations without releasing harmful degradation products during degradation, and because they allow processing with more advantageous conditions in comparison to physical PCB treating methods such as high-temperature incineration or ultraviolet degradation in consideration of costs and processing equipment.
The present applicant has invented novel microorganisms capable of degrading organic chlorine compounds such as PCBs, and methods for degrading organic chlorine compounds using these microorganisms, and has previously filed patent applications relating thereto under Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 7-42201 and Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 8-35284.
The conventional art, including the novel microorganism described in the specifications of the above-mentioned applications, have problems in that the degradation of PCBs is slow because the PCB-degrading bacteria are cultured at room temperature (30-37.degree. C.).